Digital cameras, which record and reproduce still images and moving images using a memory card having a solid-state memory element as a recording medium, are already commercially available, and digital cameras having electronic viewfinders such as color liquid crystal panels and the like are also commercially available. With these digital cameras, a digital camera user can determine a composition by continuously displaying an image before image sensing, and can confirm a sensed image by reproducing and displaying it. Especially, a function of reproducing a sensed image immediately after image sensing is convenient, and is useful for digital camera users.
Also, digital cameras having a function of sensing not only a still image but also a moving image are increasing, and the moving image recording time, image size, and the like are improving. Some of such digital cameras are equipped with a microphone and loudspeaker, and have an audio recording/reproduction function using these microphone and loudspeaker and also an after-recording or voice memo function.
On the other hand, some models of digital cameras produce various effect sounds as their startup sound and operation sound in addition to an electronic sound. In these models, when the shutter is released by a self timer, effect sounds such as “Say Cheese”, “Click sound”, and the like can be used upon image sensing.
Using the functions of the microphone and loudspeaker of a digital camera, recorded audio data can be used as the startup sound and operation sound of the digital camera. However, since the reproduction time is very short, it is difficult to satisfactory record such data. The recorded audio data may be extracted and used by, e.g., an after-recording process. However, in such case, complex operations are required, and the user cannot easily use the function.